I was thinking about The Murder of Roger Ackroyd celebrating its one hundredth anniversary in June, and then I read an article about how Mahjong is seeing a resurgence in popularity. Naturally, my mind went straight to the Mahjong party at Dr. Sheppard’s house!
That scene is one of my favorites. I can so easily picture Colonel Carter and Miss Ganett walking over to the Sheppard’s house, dressed against a cold rain in their waterproofs and galoshes. I imagine Colonel Carter gallantly stopped by to escort Miss Gannet. Annie has cut sandwiches and wrapped them in a damp cloth for serving later while Caroline herself may have made the cake, proudly displayed on a cake stand on the sideboard. But first, the foursome plays Mahjong.
Playing games has always been a favorite way to spend an evening, and mahjong was especially popular during the 1920s. Game nights were an inexpensive way to entertain guests, and they allowed for plenty of chat during the evening. For young men and women, it was an excellent way to meet and court, and for older folk like Dr. Sheppard’s friends, it was a handy way to share the latest gossip.
I have not played Mahjong myself, so I was not familiar with the game. That certainly never affected my reading of the story, but when I was researching for Agatha Annotated, I looked into it further to define the terms used. Here is a brief recap:
Mahjong
The game is similar to cards in that it has suits, but it’s played with tiles. The suits are Bamboo, Dot, and Characters, but there are also Honors and Bonus tiles. The game has long been played at Chinese, Taiwanese, and Jewish gatherings. The rules differ somewhat, but basically, players collect and discard tiles while trying to build hands such as three of a kind or a straight.
Shanghai Club
This was a home away from home for upper-class British men in the port city, which, starting in the mid-1800s, was under British administration. In addition to the assigned military forces, there were also plenty of support people for the import and export businesses who lived in the Shanghai International Settlement for foreigners.
If Colonel Carter ever was a member of the Shanghai Club, it’s difficult to say which version of the Club he means. The original building was built in 1861 and replaced by a new one in 1909. If Carter “juggled with tins of bully beef and plum and apple jam during the Great War,” and is also reminded of “the Afghan passes,” it’s possible that he might have visited either version. I tried figuring out Colonel Carter’s age in a previous blog article, if you’re interested and want to check my math.
Pung and Concealed Kong
A Kong is a hand with four identical tiles in the same suit, for instance, four Bamboo tiles with three Bamboos on each tile. Concealed Kong means the player hasn’t declared their hand yet. You can also “Kong” your Pung, which is a three of a kind, if you pick up a matching fourth tile. “Unpung,” as Miss Ganett frequently says, is “not a standard term,” according to online search.
Chow vs. Chee
Miss Ganett is actually correct here – it should be “Chee,” not “Chow.” Mahjong originated in China, and players traditionally use the word “Chee” to claim a straight of three in the same suit. Apparently, when English-speaking players brought the game home, they started saying “Chow” instead.
Tin-Ho or the Perfect Winning
This Anglicized phrase is derived from "Tian Hu," which means something like “heavenly hand.” The Perfect Winning is when the dealer draws their first hand and, after taking the first tile of the game, reveals a complete winning hand. It doesn’t happen very often – the Colonel says he never saw it before – so when it happens to Dr. Sheppard, he’s “overwhelmed and intoxicated.” It’s obviously a high point in the doctor’s otherwise humdrum life.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd made quite a splash when it was published a hundred years ago, and it’s still a great read today. How interesting that Mahjong is having this resurgence in popularity during Ackroyd’s anniversary! Certainly, you can enjoy the book without knowing anything about Mahjong, but isn’t it more fun when you do?
Photo by Jimmy Chan